Tappet adjusting tool



March 19, 1940.

A. GAGNE TAPPBT ADJUSTING TOOL Filed June 2; 193e Gagne Patented Mar. 19, A1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to hand tools and more particularly to a tappet valve adjustment tool.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tool to permit the ready and convenient ad- `ustment of' tappets and wherein the tool may be maintained in contact with the tappet throughout the period of adjustment.

A further object is a tool of this nature wherein there is provided a screw driver bit for engag-` ing the valveA stem adjustment screw andla wrench for securing the adjustment screw jam nut and wherein the screw driver and wrench are rotatable independently of one another and are both simultaneously and independently slidable within the holding member.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplied in the construction hereafter setforth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view with the tool positioned relative to a tappet;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view partially in section showing a detail of construction;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the handle partially broken away to show the details of construction;

Fig. a is an end view looking from the bottom of the tool; and

Fig. 5 is a. view of the wrench socket.

Referring to the drawing the operating handle lll comprises an outer hollow wall member Il closed at its upper end, and an inner hollow wall member M positioned 'centrally of the hollow wall member I I and having its upper `end I6 fixedly secured thereto for simultaneous rotation therewith. When so constructed, the inner and outer hollow wall members i4 and il are spaced apart and concentric relative to one another and dene therebetween an outer bore i2 concentric with the hollow portion or inner bore` IB of the member Ill.

The lower end of the member I4 is provided with oppositely disposed aligned slots 20 for receiving the upper rectangular end of a shank 22,

the shank 22 being held therein by a pin 24 extending at right angles to the slotsand passing through an elongated opening 26 in shank 22. The lower end of shank 22 terminates in a screwengaging bit 28, and intermediate of the ends y the tension of spring 44 to position the socket' as shown in dotted lines, whereupon it may be turned thereis provided a reduced portion 3l! having an upwardly facing shoulder 32 at one end, and a downwardly facing shoulder 34 at the other end which function as stops, as hereinafter described.

` The elongated slot 26 allows vertical movement of 5 shank 22 within slots 20, and a spring 36 carried within the bore I8 thereof normally urges the shank to lowermost position, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Surrounding shank 22 and preventing lateral l@ swinging thereof on pin 2d is a sleeve ed, the upper end of which extends into bore l2 of handle 0 and is so positioned by a positioning pin l2 which is threaded through the sleeve and is adapted to engage the shoulders 32 and fifi of movable shank 22 and is normally urged into engagement with the lower shoulder 32 by a spring t@ intermediate of the upper end of sleeve Q0 and the handle ill. The lower end or sleeve 4l! is rectangular and provided with a downwardly facing shoulder 4S against which is positioned a handle 48. Carried below the handle is a socket 5l) removably secured to sleeve i0 by a screw plug 52.

The tool is shown in position for adjusting a rockable tappet having threaded at one end thereof an adjustment screw 62 which may be locked in position by a jamnut S4. In carrying. out the adjustment, the operator may hold the handle I0 of the tool in one hand and with theV 30 other hand back oif the jam nut 66 by rotating the handle 48. If it is necessary .to re-spcsiticn the socket, the sleeve 40 may 'be raised against in the opposite direction and again positioned on thejam nut. When the jam nut has been released a suilcient amount, the handle l0 may be rotated to cause rotation of member IB and the movable shank 22 to obtain a screw driver action with the bit 28 engaged in the ker of the adjustment'screw 62. The adjustment may be 'made while the motor is running by simply,7 pressing down on the handlev l0, which will raise the shank 22 within the iixed shank and the sleeve 40 within the handle lll. By holding the handle in this position, the parts may reciprocate with the tappet, and by simultaneously rotating the handle I0 the adjustment screw may he set to `give the proper clearance. When the proper clearance has been obtained, the jam nut E4 may then be turned to secure screw 621m adjusted position. yIt will Alikewise be seen that if the adjustment screw 62 is lowered down and into the nut E4, the bit 28 may still be brought into en- 55 gagement therewith by pressing down on the handle I0 due to the action of the spring 3S which will urge the shank downwardly into engagement with the pin 2li. By providing a removable socket, any desired size may be used with the one tool.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely diierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all o the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter o language, might be said to fall therebetween.

l claim as my invention:

l. A valve tappet adjusting tool comprising a handle having an open ended bore therein, a shanl: secured to the handle centrally of the bore, said shank having an opening therein and terminating in oppositely aligned slots, .a screw engaging bit having a portion receivable in said slots, said portion having an elongated opening therethrough, a pin securing said bit in said shank and extending through said opening, spring means normally urging said bit to its lowermost position, said bit also being provided with spaced apart downwardly and upwardly facing shoulders adjacent its lower end, a sleeve surrounding said bit and extending into the bore of said handle, said sleeve having a stop adapted to be moved between the shoulders of said bit, and a spring mounted in said bore and normally urging said sleeve downwardly to urge said stop into en@- ment with the upwardly facing shoulder of said bit, and a socket carried on the end of said sleeve.

2. A valve tappet adjusting tool comprising a manually operable handle having concentric inner and outer spaced apart hollow wall members closed at one end and dening inner and outer concentric bores at the other, a screw engaging bit receivable within said inner bore, cooperating means on said bit and inner Wall member nonrotatably and reciprocably mounting said bit within said bore and limiting its movement therein, spring means normally urging said bit to its lowermost position, a socket wrench having a sleeve surrounding said bit and extending into said outer bore, means reciprocably and rotatably holding said sleeve within said outer bore and spring means positioned within said outer bore and normally urging said sleeve to its outermost position.

3. A valve tappet adjusting tool comprising a handle having inner and outer concentric bores open at one end, a screw engaging bit having a portion receivable within said inner bore, means non-rotatably and slidably holding said bit within said inner bore, spring means normally urging said bit to its lowermost position, a socket wrench having a sleeve surrounding Said bit and having said sleeve extending into the outer bore, means engageable with said bit for rotatably and slidably holding said sleeve within said outer bore whereby said sleeve and bit may be moved longitudinally relative to one another and spring means positioned within said outer bore bearing against said handle and said sleeve, and normally urging said sleeve to its lowermost position.

A ALFRED GAGNE. 

